We tend to throw words around a bit carelessly when we talk about leadership. One example of that is the common habit of equating leaders with heroes.
Without hesitation we ascribe almost any positive trait that comes to mind to our hallowed concept of the superlative individual leader. Surely, we think, heroism is rightly one of those. The hero has vision that others lack, making him or her vulnerable for standing out from the crowd. It takes courage to stay the course in the face of criticism, discipline to remain focused amid all the discouraging feedback, strength to bear the imposing risk all the way through uncertainty to success.
That sounds good – very persuasive. But the thing is, it’s not necessarily the case that those characteristics make a hero, nor that a hero possesses them.
I’ve known some genuine heroes – in the military and in civilian life. Certainly not all, but just as certainly many if not most of them were completely at the mercy of their heroism – not the masters of it.
It is a kind of madness that comes over them at the wild and whirling intersection of time and space, emergency and opportunity. They don’t always express it – rather, it takes possession of them and makes them do things that fill all who witness it with awe.
Some of these heroes describe themselves as witnesses to it as well, just as awestruck as everyone else at what they find themselves doing. Others disappear into it, and emerge out the other side quite unaware of what has happened. They can be rather uncomfortable, even dismayed at how they are regarded once the madness has passed.
This does nothing to diminish the heroism displayed, nor the heroes who display it. But it must be said that while this heroism – real heroism – inspires the respect and admiration of those who observe and benefit from it, none of these people ordinarily fall into the instinctive error of confusing what they’ve seen with leadership. Even if the crucible through which they’ve all passed may have entailed their following the hero’s lead, as it were, the person becomes everyone’s hero – not their leader.
That’s not to say, though, that leadership wasn’t present. It may have been in the moment itself, rather than in the men and women who lived through it. It may have risen from the bond between them, sparked into action under the stress of the emergency, and released its energy into each participant according to the strength of their needs, their aims, and their relation to the flashpoint.
Different situations can produce different heroes among the same group, depending on the differing unfolding of these dynamics. Have you not seen them produce different “leaders,” as well?
That’s not the same question, nor precisely the same consequence of the hero-generating dynamics, and will not produce quite the same answer. But it is relevant. Leaders, too, appear at the intersection of need and opportunity, as these are perceived by group dynamics.
Leadership is a part of those dynamics. If one person emerges as that “leader” of the moment more frequently than another, that does not alter the underlying phenomenon: the leadership itself, and the larger factors from which it springs, emerge from the purposeful group, not from the individual of the moment.
Manage that.
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Today’s tips: Speaking of consciously wielding influence, please see this piece from the always-intriguing PsyBlog about newcomers and the process of becoming productive.
And speaking of exercising influence right out of the gate, please see how Eclecticity handles a dead heat. There should be no question of a photo-finish in this race.
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I think its unfortunate the words are blurring. It really cheapens the word hero and confuses the word leader. (In my mind a good leader keeps the team on track, moving forward. A hero saves our collective bottoms, usually incorporating significant self sacrifice.)
They are blurring, and becoming interchangeable to the point that we aren’t always sure what we’re talking about anymore.
My effort here was to pick away at just one aspect of the overwrought depictions of individual leadership. I only hope I am beginning to figure out how to more effectively do that.
Thanks for stopping in, Fred.
Jim,
I like Fred’s notion of the words blurring.
The idea of attaching bloated adjectives to all aspects of leadership–thus inducing the “leader as super-hero” portrait–is both inaccurate and self-defeating. I’m always fascinated by the human condition craving independence and, at the same time, wishing to have a mythical-like ‘leader’ to adore and follow.
The examples at work and in government are endless that show the situation nature of one’s performance as well as the ‘popularity’ swings once the person’s mortality is revealed. Yet we somehow still want to go down that same path again and again, regardless of the research and even the experiences we have with this.
A hero will, indeed, most likely display some form of leadership in order to receive the ‘heroic’ designation. Leaders may do something heroic but earn the ‘leader’ title by purposeful participation in, and orchestration of, an effort over time.
Another well-written and thought-provoking post, Jim.
Hi Steve!
“Bloated adjectives” – that’s a pretty descriptive phrase!
Here’s another: “craving independence and, at the same time, wishing to have a mythical-like ‘leader’ to adore and follow”
Bingo. But if we want to be professional and effective managers, we ought to start by being responsible, mature adults.
Your last point is right on the money, as well – that these attributes may, and often do, partake of one another does not make them equate one to the other.
As usual, your comment seems more effective to me than the post!
Thanks for stopping in with this, Steve.
Thoughtful, Jim. I’m sure you have considered the possibility that leadership is just an historical artifact, viewed in retrospect. In other words, we label it and then “see” it, as Einstein suggested aabout theories and THEN facts.
As far as the misuse of words is concerned – that is what happens when people over all the ages have “communicated.” In our age of the democratization of everything, you don’t have to know what you’re talking about in order to do so. Collateral damage of “freedom” – which includes the freedom to be mentally lazy.
Hello Lee,
This is an interesting point that has been emerging quite a bit, lately – the idea that we recognize leadership after the fact. I don’t fully buy into the fact of the assertion, nor the value – even if it were true, what would we do with that information? How do we prepare for something that we cannot predict or produce beforehand, but can only identify by unearthing its consequences afterward?
You’re right about the communication issue. To some extent, maybe even usually, it’s not really a problem as long as we all do manage to follow each other. But the concern here is also that the laxity opens the door for the words to actually change meaning – for example, for the definition of leadership to take on elements of the definition of heroism. Sometimes this causes us to lose the thread of each others’ conversation even while we think we’re still on track.
Thanks for stopping in with this, Lee – it likely calls for more thinking and elaboration – thanks!
I feel that it’s unfortunate that the notion of a “leader” and a “hero” has become so diluted because both leaders and heros have great qualities that they possess individually. By making the two notions ambiguous, I feel that we are taking away a lot from what true leaders and true heroes are capable of. Language is a powerful tool, and we all need to be more intentional with it. Interesting post, thanks for the good read!
Thank you for this thoughtful comment, for your visit, and for your own writing at your terrific site!